June 5th has been defined as World Environment Day to highlight how important the world we live in is and to remember to respect it for what it gives us every day.

June 5th has been defined as World Environment Day to highlight how important the world we live in is and to remember to respect it for what it gives us every day.

Nature has DNA: the differences between plants and animal DNA

In the center of every plant cell, from algae to orchids – and in the center of every animal cell, from jellyfish to you and me – there’s a copy of the organism’s genetic material. This DNA carries a complete blueprint of the organism. It’s what transfers characteristics from one generation to the next.

There are pretty obvious differences between plants and animals, but the cells of all plants and all animals contain DNA in the same shape – the famous “double helix” that looks like a twisted ladder. What’s more, all DNA molecules – in both plants and animals – are made from the same four chemical building blocks – called nucleotides.

What is different is how these four nucleotides in DNA are arranged. It’s their sequence that determines which proteins will be made. The way the nucleotides are arranged, and the information they encode, decides whether the organism will produce scales or leaves – legs or a stalk.

Research shows that plants and animals may produce some proteins in common. One prominent example is known as Cytochrome C. But because the DNA copying process is imperfect, mistakes accumulate over time, making Cytochrome C slightly different in different creatures. The gene regions that specify the amino acid sequence in human Cytochrome C are more similar to those in another mammal like a rabbit, and less similar to a more evolutionarily distant creature, like a sunflower.

The schematic of classifying animals and plants in kingdoms is facing competition. More recently an alternative system has arisen, based on evolutionary and molecular information. Cytochrome c is perhaps the canonical or paradigmatic molecule in this approach.

Every species has a characteristic number of chromosomes, called the chromosome number. Animals have more chromosomes; plants have fewer.

It carries in its structure the genetic code, or set of instructions, for cellular development and maintenance. Finally, it undergoes changes in chemical structure, from both environmental and internal causes, called mutations, which contribute to evolution, diversity, and disease.

History of World Environment Day

World Environment Day embraces smaller and less-developed nations while tackling even bigger topics: from sustainable consumption to the illegal trade in wildlife. The annual day of action that began more than 40 years earlier goes viral on social media and it started in late 1972, when the UN General Assembly designates 5 June as World Environment Day.It was 1974 when World Environment Day was celebrated for the first time with the slogan “Only One Earth.”Since its beginning, World Environment Day has developed into a global platform for raising awareness and taking action on urgent issues from marine pollution and global warming to sustainable consumption and wildlife crime. Millions of people have taken part over the years, helping drive change in our consumption habits as well as in national and international environmental policy.

2020 Theme and Host Country

This year's theme is biodiversity–a concern that is both urgent and existential. Recent events, from bushfires in Brazil, the United States and Australia to locust infestations across East Africa–and now, a global disease pandemic–demonstrate the interdependence of humans and the webs of life in which they exist.

Every World Environment Day is hosted by a different country, in which official celebrations take place. This year's host is Colombia in partnership with Germany.

Dante Labs for World Environment Day

Together with the whole community, Dante Labs wants to be a global platform for inspiring positive change and share knowledge for individuals to think about the way they consume and for businesses to develop greener models.It is everybody's responsibility to produce more sustainably, to safeguard wild spaces, to inspire young people to live in harmony with the Earth and to become the heroes of a green future.

The foods we eat, the air we breathe, the water we drink, everything comes from nature. This is why we need to care for ourselves, because it’s time to wake up. It’s Time for Nature.

Do you want to know more about Dante Labs Genetic Test? Click here and choose the best one for you.

June is Pride Month and everybody needs to come in support of the rights of LGBTQ+ community.

June is Pride Month and everybody needs to come in support of the rights of LGBTQ+ community.

LGBTQ is an initialism that stands for Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender and Queer or Questioning. In use since the 1990s, the term is an adaptation of the initialism LGB, which was used to replace the term gay in reference to the LGBT community beginning in the mid-to-late 1980s. Activists believed that the term gay community did not accurately represent all those to whom it referred.

The Stonewall riots were a series of spontaneous, violent demonstrations by members of the gay (LGBT) community against a police raid that began in the early morning hours of June 28, 1969, at the Stonewall Inn in the Greenwich Village neighborhood of Manhattan, New York City.They are widely considered to constitute the most important event leading to the gay liberation movement and the modern fight for LGBT rights in the United States.

Even though the fight for their rights has never stopped and will never be stopped, in 28 states it is still legal for employers to discriminate against someone for their sexual or gender identity.Over 40% of LGBTQ+ identified workers in STEM fields have never stepped out for their personal life to their colleagues, due to the fear of being fired, harassed, or ostracized. LGBTQ+ workers who have come out are less likely to experience anxiety, isolation, but about 70% of them still felt uncomfortable in their department and were approximately 7 times more likely to experience exclusionary behavior by their colleagues.

As for gender equality, Dante Labs stands for the LGBTQ+ community and dissociates from any discrimination against someone for their sexual or gender identity. Because declaration of love has no difference, no gender, but equal rights.

Do you want to know more about Dante Labs Genetic Test? Click here and choose the best one for you.

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https://us.dantelabs.com/blogs/blog/coronavirus-quarantine-isolation-and-why-we-have-to-stay-at-home2020-05-07T11:00:00-12:002020-05-07T11:00:00-12:00Coronavirus-Quarantine, Isolation and why we have to stay at homeFrancesca TarquinioCoronavirus-Quarantine, Isolation and why we have to stay at home

Extreme precautions are necessary during the current isolation for Coronavirus. But why those precautions? Experts have explained the risks from a medical perspective and the measure of self-isolation.

Extreme precautions are necessary during the current isolation for Coronavirus. But why those precautions? Experts have explained the risks from a medical perspective and the measure of self-isolation.

The Coronavirus outbreak and its danger

Known to medical professionals and the entire world as COVID-19, Coronavirus is changing the world, with the death of millions of lives and destabilization of the economic and financial, and the increase of the differences between countries and people.

CFR - The rate of the death of the virus?

The acronym CFR stands for Case Fatality Rate and is related to the number of patients who died from COVID-19 divided by the total number of cases who got infected. High CFRs usually occur where access to healthcare is limited and are insufficient.

It is extremely important to get the total number as accurate as possible to make sure to manipul CFR as best.

It is assessed that COVID-19 has more fatalities in old and sick people, but it has also killed some individuals with no underlying health problems, which means that how the virus affects the body are still not understood.

R0 - The transmissibility of the virus?

The acronym of R0 stands for Reproduction Number and is related to the average number of individuals estimated to be infected by a single infected person. It has been declared that for COVID-19 every infected person will transmit the virus to 2–4 other non-infected individuals on average.

R0 is affected by the number of days a person is infectious (estimated at 4–14 days), the number of people susceptible to be in contact with the infected person and also the likelihood of those non-infected people to catch it during that contact (influenced by hand hygiene, covering the sneezes and coughs, touching the face, etc.).

COVID-19 and other infectious diseases

Coronavirus is not the most deadly or transmissible of viruses, but it is high in both categories. It has a relatively high mortality rate but it is less lethal compared to SARS and MERS, even though it is more transmittable with much higher incubation time.

Therefore, the difficulty of Coronavirus stands with the fact that infected people can pass it on to others during the incubation period when they do not have symptoms yet.

Consequently, young carriers with no or mild symptoms can bring the virus home to grandmas, grandpas, or their friends who have underlying health conditions (e.g. diabetes, heart disease, stroke, high blood pressure, asthma, COPD, cystic fibrosis, kidney disease). These people are at the highest risk of serious complications from COVID-19.

How long the virus survives on different surfaces

COVID-19 can survive up to 3 days on different types of materials, most of them used during daily life:

Copper: up to 4 hours.

Cardboard: up to 24 hours.

Plastic: 2–3 days

Stainless steel: 2-3 days.

Strategies to reduce R0 and CFR

Even though it is extremely hard to do, social distancing by working from home, closing schools or switching to online classes, cancelling or postponing conferences and large meetings, is essential since COVID-19 can be spread within 2 meters if somebody coughs or sneezes.

Cleaning and disinfecting objects and surfaces is important for hygiene since COVID-19 survives for up to 3 days on different surfaces.

Handwashing more often with soap and water for at least 20 seconds, especially before eating has been declared one of the most important activities during this quarantine. Also, avoid touching eyes, nose, and mouth before washing hands because soap and water deactivate COVID-19 by breaking down the lipid membrane of the virus.

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https://us.dantelabs.com/blogs/blog/springs-disorders-and-world-asthma-day2020-05-05T11:00:00-12:002020-05-05T11:00:00-12:00Spring's disorders and World Asthma DayFrancesca TarquinioSpring's disorders and World Asthma Day

May has been identified as Allergies and Asthma Awareness Month. Specifically, May 2nd is World Asthma Awareness Day, when organizations, healthcare providers, patients, and caregivers come together to support this disease.

May has been identified as Allergies and Asthma Awareness Month. Specifically, May 5th is World Asthma Awareness Day, when organizations, healthcare providers, patients, and caregivers come together to support this disease.

What is Asthma?

Asthma is a condition in which your airways narrow and swell and produce extra mucus which can bring to breathing difficulty and coughing, wheezing and shortness of breath.

For some people, asthma is a minor nuisance while some of them can be affected by a major problem that interferes with daily activities.

Even though asthma cannot be cured, its symptoms can be controlled, since it often changes over time and can be tracked and adjusted for treatment as needed.

What are the symptoms of Asthma

Asthma symptoms vary from person to person: some may have infrequent asthma attacks, especially during exercising, or have symptoms all the time.

Asthma most frequent signs are shortness of breath and chest tightness, together with coughing or wheezing. Some signs can be worsening and the need to use a quick-relief inhaler increases.

For some people, asthma signs and symptoms flare up in certain situations, such as exercise or due to specific workplace irritants such as chemical fumes, gases or dust. Also, allergy-induced asthma, such as pollen, mold spores can raise the development of asthma.

Asthma triggers

It is not clear the reason why asthma affects some people rather than others, but a combination of environmental and genetic (inherited) factors is the most intuitive answer.

Gastroesophageal reflux disease, that can influence how the throat works

Risk factors

Genetics, or family history of asthma, raise a person’s likelihood of developing asthma, but other personal and environmental factors may affect this probability. Being overweight and smoking are some of them, beside having allergies or being frequently exposed to forms of pollution or occupational irritants, including chemicals and dust.

Prevention

Asthma is an ongoing condition that needs regular monitoring and treatment. Therefore taking control of the treatments can make the patient feel more in control of life in general.

Also, to identify asthma triggers is what can help avoid the symptoms or at least alleviate them.

Some people, after years of living with asthma, learn how to monitor their breathing, to recognize warning signs of an impending attack, but to regularly measure the peak airflow is what may significantly reduce the possibility of a bad asthma attack.

About Genetics and Asthma

Causes of asthma are complex. It is likely that a combination of multiple genetic and environmental factors contribute to development of the condition. Doctors believe genes are involved because having a family member with allergic asthma or another allergic disorder increases a person's risk of developing the disease.

Studies suggest that more than 100 genes may be associated with allergic asthma, but each seems to be a factor in only one or a few populations. Many of the associated genes are involved in the body's immune response. Others play a role in lung and airway function.

Advantages of getting the Whole Genome Sequencing for Asthma

Asthma runs strongly in families. The strong familial clustering of asthma has encouraged an increasing volume of research into the genetics predisposition to disease.

Testing patients with asthma for a variant in the beta-2 receptor gene may help clinicians determine the most suitable medication, especially in patients who respond poorly to standard treatment. The arginine-16 genotype of the beta-2 receptor gene is carried by one in seven asthma sufferers.

Genetic tests can help to find the correct treatment for this disease.

Dante Labs for World Asthma Day

Dante Labs decided to be involved in raising awareness of Asthma and support the mission of GINA (Global Initiative for Asthma).

Our customer care service will be available to answer your questions and will help you understand the importance of genetic tests.Also we want to highlight our Asthma report, specific for this disease.

Raise the awareness: Enough Asthma Deaths!

Are you interested in your DNA and you want to test it? Click here to learn more about Dante Labs Genetic Test and click here to get more information about our Additional Report for Asthma disease.

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https://us.dantelabs.com/blogs/blog/do-viruses-have-dna-and-rna2020-05-03T11:00:00-12:002020-05-03T11:00:00-12:00Do viruses have DNA and RNA?Francesca TarquinioDo viruses have DNA and RNA?

It is known that viruses are microscopic parasites, much smaller than bacteria, that have the capability to reproduce inside of a host body but not outside. But what is the basic structure of a virus?

It is known that viruses are microscopic parasites, much smaller than bacteria, that have the capability to reproduce inside of a host body but not outside. But what is the basic structure of a virus?

Viruses and their structure

Viruses are small obligate intracellular parasites that cannot reproduce by themselves but when they infect a cell they make it produce more viruses. They contain the key elements that make up all living organisms, DNA or RNA, even though they lack the capacity to independently read and act upon the information contained within these nucleic acids. The host’s cellular machinery allows viruses to produce RNA from their DNA (the transcription) and to build proteins based on the instructions encoded in their RNA (the translation).

As said, for propagation viruses depend on specialized host cells. Those cells supply the metabolic and biosynthetic machinery of eukaryotic or prokaryotic cells. When a virus is completely assembled and capable of infection, it is known as a virion, whose function is to deliver its DNA or RNA genome into the host cell so that the genome can be transcribed and translated by the host cell. The viral genome is packaged inside a symmetric protein capsid. The nucleic acid-associated protein, called nucleoprotein, together with the genome, forms the nucleocapsid. In enveloped viruses, the nucleocapsid is surrounded by a lipid bilayer derived from the modified host cell membrane and studded with an outer layer of virus envelope glycoproteins.

Function of virus

As said, the primary role of the virus is to “deliver its DNA or RNA genome into the host cell.

First, viruses need to access the inside of a host’s body especially through. respiratory passages and open wounds that can act as gateways. Insects also can provide the mode of entry with their bites.

After that, viruses will then attach themselves to host cell surfaces. They do so by recognizing and binding to cell surface receptors and while viruses use them to their advantage, cell surface receptors are designed to serve the cell.

Afterward, a virus can start to move across the outer covering or membrane of the host cell. There are many different modes of entry. For example, HIV, a virus with an envelope, fuses with the membrane and is pushed through. The influenza virus, enveloped virus as well, is engulfed by the cell. Some non-enveloped viruses, such as the polio virus, create a porous channel of entry and burrow through the membrane.

Once inside, viruses release their genomes and also disrupt or hijack various parts of the cellular machinery. Viral genomes direct host cells to ultimately produce viral proteins (many a time halting the synthesis of any RNA and proteins that the host cell can use). Ultimately, viruses stack the deck in their favor, both inside the host cell and within the host itself by creating conditions that allow for them to spread.

Discoveries about viruses

The relationships between viruses need to be understood, beginning with noting similarities in size and shape, whether viruses contain DNA or RNA, and in which form. With new and more sophisticated methods of genome sequencing and comparing viral genomes, and with the constant discovery of new scientific data, information about viruses are more and more valuable.

Sometimes it is not known how large viruses evolved but such discoveries bring up always new questions and open new avenues of research. In the future these studies may provide answers to fundamental questions about the origins of viruses, how they reached their present parasitic state, and whether viruses should be included in the tree of life.

Do you want to know more about Dante Labs Genetic Test? Click here and choose the best one for you.

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https://us.dantelabs.com/blogs/blog/may-is-als-awareness-month2020-05-01T11:00:00-12:002020-05-01T11:00:00-12:00May is ALS Awareness Month: what you should know about itFrancesca TarquinioMay is ALS Awareness Month: what you should know about it

ALS is the acronym for Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis, also known as motor neurone disease (MND) or Lou Gehrig's disease, and it refers to a disease that causes the death of neurons controlling voluntary muscles.

ALS is the acronym for Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis, also known as motor neurone disease (MND) or Lou Gehrig's disease, and it refers to a disease that causes the death of neurons controlling voluntary muscles.

What is ALS?

Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis is an always fatal rare neurological disease that involves motor neurons responsible for controlling voluntary muscle movement, like chewing, walking, and talking. The disease is progressive, and nowadays there is no cure and no effective treatment to halt, or reverse, its progression.

In ALS, both the upper motor neurons and the lower motor neurons degenerate or die (Atrophy) over time, and stop sending messages to the muscles which weaken, start to twitch, and waste away leading to muscle weakness, a loss of muscle mass. Eventually, the brain loses its ability to initiate and control voluntary movements.

What are the symptoms of ALS?

ALS is difficult to diagnose and it is often diagnosed by ruling out other diseases. The first signs and symptoms of ALS may be so subtle that they are overlooked,The earliest symptoms include muscle twitching, cramping, stiffness, or weakness and they may be related to a simple fatigue. Affected individuals may develop slurred speech (dysarthria) and, later, difficulty chewing or swallowing (dysphagia). Muscles become weaker as the disease progresses, and arms and legs begin to look thinner as muscle tissue atrophies. Individuals with ALS eventually lose muscle strength and the ability to walk. Affected individuals eventually become wheelchair-dependent and increasingly require help with personal care and other activities of daily living. Breathing becomes difficult because the muscles of the respiratory system weaken.

Most people with ALS die from respiratory failure, usually within 3 to 5 years from when the symptoms first appear. However, about 10% of people with ALS survive for 10 or more years.

Causes and types of ALS

It is unclear exactly what causes ALS. There are different types, according to their signs and symptoms and whether or not there is a clear genetic association.

ALS can be sporadic or familial: sporadic ALS occurs randomly, it accounts for 90 to 95% of cases and there is no clear risk factor or cause; familial ALS is inherited (5% to 10% of cases are familial) and the child of a person with ALS will have a 50% chance of developing the condition.

Other possible causes of ALS include:

Disorganized immune response: The immune system may attack some of the body’s cells, possibly killing nerve cells.

Chemical imbalance: people affected by ALS often have higher levels of glutamate, which is toxic to nerve cells in high quantities;

Mishandling of proteins: if proteins are not processed correctly by nerve cells, the accumule can cause the nerve cells to die.

Environmental factors may also play a role: it seems like veterans are more likely to develop ALS, as shown by one study about military personnel. Some possible links have been found between ALS and exposure to:

Head injury: moderate to severe traumatic brain injury is a risk factor for ALS, even though the association has not been confirmed lately.

Physical activity: the evidence for physical activity as a risk factor for ALS was limited and conflicting, but often related to soccer and American football are possibly associated with ALS, and that there was not enough evidence to say whether or not physically demanding occupations are associated with ALS;

Smoking: it is possibly associated with ALS even though the association is not the strongest.

About Genetics and ALS

Mutations in several genes can cause familial ALS and contribute to the development of sporadic ALS. Mutations in the C9orf72 gene account for 30% to 40% of familial ALS in the United States and Europe. Worldwide, SOD1 gene mutations cause 15% to 20% of familial ALS, and TARDBP and FUS gene mutations each account for about 5% of cases. The other genes that have been associated with familial ALS each account for a small proportion of cases. It is estimated that 60% of individuals with familial ALS have an identified genetic mutation. The cause of the condition in the remaining individuals is unknown.

The C9orf72, SOD1, TARDBP, and FUS genes are key to the normal functioning of motor neurons and other cells. It is unclear how mutations in these genes contribute to the death of motor neurons, but it is thought that motor neurons are more sensitive to disruptions in function because of their large size. Most motor neurons affected by ALS have a buildup of protein clumps (aggregates); however, it is unknown whether these aggregates are involved in causing ALS or are a byproduct of the dying cell.

In some cases of familial ALS due to mutations in other genes, studies have identified the mechanisms that lead to ALS. Some gene mutations lead to a disruption in the development of axons, the specialized extensions of nerve cells (such as motor neurons) that transmit nerve impulses. The altered axons may impair transmission of impulses from nerves to muscles, leading to muscle weakness and atrophy. Other mutations lead to a slowing in the transport of materials needed for the proper function of axons in motor neurons, eventually causing the motor neurons to die. Additional gene mutations prevent the breakdown of toxic substances, leading to their buildup in nerve cells. The accumulation of toxic substances can damage motor neurons and eventually cause cell death. In some cases of ALS, it is unknown how the gene mutation causes the condition.

Advantages of getting the Whole Genome Sequencing for ALS

Genetic testing can help determine the cause of FALS (Familial Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis) in a family. Testing is most useful in a person who has been diagnosed with ALS. About 60%-70% of individuals with FALS will have a positive genetic test result (mutation identified). Those families with FALS where a mutation is not identified may have FALS caused by a gene or genes that have not yet been discovered. Not having an identified genetic mutation does not eliminate a FALS diagnosis and other family members may still be at risk for developing ALS.

If a mutation has been identified, biological family members who don’t have symptoms can be tested to see if they inherited the genetic mutation; this is called predictive testing. Some medical centers may require a neurological exam, psychological assessment and counseling before predictive testing.

Dante Labs for ALS Awareness Month

Dante Labs decided to be involved in raising awareness of ALS.

Our customer care service will be available to answer your questions and will help you understand the importance of genetic tests.Also, in order to prevent it, we want to highlight our ALS report, specific for the disease.

Raise the awareness: we are all in this together!

Are you interested in your DNA and you want to test it? Click here to learn more about Dante Labs Genetic Test and click here to get more information about our Additional Report for ALS disease.

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https://us.dantelabs.com/blogs/blog/april-25-happy-dna-day2020-04-23T20:34:00-12:002020-04-23T20:54:36-12:00April 25, Happy DNA Day!Francesca TarquinioHistory of DNA Do you want to learn more about genetics and genomics? April 25th is the perfect day for you! Dna Day has been designed to celebrate the completion of the Human Genome Project in 2003 and the discovery of DNA's double helix in 1953.

History of DNA Do you want to learn more about genetics and genomics? April 25th is the perfect day for you! DNA Day has been designed to celebrate the completion of the Human Genome Project in 2003 and the discovery of DNA's double helix in 1953.

Do you know what DNA is and who discovered it?

As most people know, DNA stands for deoxyribonucleic acid and it is made up of units of biological building blocks: the nucleotides.For every organism, DNA is a vitally important molecule because it contains everybody’s genetic make-up.

It was April 25, 1953 when James Watson and Francis Crick, then at Cambridge University, discovered the structure of DNA (deoxyribonucleic acid) - the molecule that genes are made of.

The two scientists used model building to reveal the well-known double helix of DNA, and the X-ray crystallographic data of Rosalind Franklin and Maurice Wilkins at King’s College, London, were decisive to the discovery. Thanks to the ultimate discoveries from the mid-19th century, especially in advanced biochemical techniques, chemical analysis and theories of chemical bonding, the study of DNA was taken into deeper and deeper developments. Even though the controversy over the specifics of DNA and the essentiality of ‘life molecules’, the DNA structure found its real significance around the same time when the long time controversies were settled down.

2003: The Human Genome Project

In 2003 the Human Genome Project (HGP), the international scientific research project with the goal of determining the base pairs that make up human DNA, and of mapping all of the genes of the human genome, was officially closed, remaining the world's largest collaborative biological project. The idea was picked up in 1984 by the US government when the planning started, but the project was formally launched in 1990 and was completed on April 14, 2003.

Dante Labs and DNA Day

Dante Labs is extremely proud to support National DNA Day to raise awareness about the discovery of DNA's double helix by James Watson and Francis Crick in 1953 and the successful completion of the Human Genome Project in 2003. To celebrate this year we want to offer students, teachers and the public many exciting opportunities to learn about the latest advances in genomic research and explore how those advances might impact their lives.

Our clients can use the code DNADAY50 to get a special 50% discount for our Whole Genome Sequecing (30X).

3 reasons for testing cancer gene

Introduction to Breast Cancer

Breast cancer is a potentially serious disease if it is not detected and treated in time. It is due to the uncontrolled multiplication of certain cells of the mammary gland that turn into malignant cells. This means that they have the ability to detach themselves from the tissue that generated them to invade the surrounding tissue and, over time, the other organs of the body. Making an early diagnosis is very important because if the tumor is identified at stage 0, survival at five years in women treated is 98%, although relapses vary between 9 and 30% of cases, depending on the therapy carried out. If, on the other hand, the lymph nodes are positive (i.e. all stages except 0), i.e. they contain cancer cells, five-year survival is 75%.There are also some genes that predispose to this type of cancer: they are BRCA1 and BRCA2. The mutations in these genes are responsible for about 50% of the hereditary forms of breast and ovarian cancer

Why to perform a genetic test for Breast Cancer?

We identified three main reasons why to perform a genetic test:

Breast cancer affects more and more women, but although the number of cases has increased, mortality continues to fall. However, it is still the most common and diagnosed cancer among women: one in every three tumours (29%) is a breast cancer. It is a tumour that continues to hit hard, but which oncology is fighting more and more effectively.

Genetic tests for BRCA1 and 2 genes, which are responsible for some hereditary forms of breast cancer, can be very useful prevention tools: in case of positivity it is possible to strengthen control measures with very close mammograms and ultrasounds to identify the tumor at an early stage if it occurs or it is possible to use ovariectomy and/or preventive mammography. It can be useful in cases of familiarity (familiarity is referred to when there is a grouping of multiple breast cancer cases in a household) where hereditary tumours are suspected and where individuals with mutations of these genes (BRCA1 and BRCA2) have a high probability (70/80%) of developing breast cancer over a lifetime.

Knowing that you have a mutation is important to identify the best treatment for each individual person, based on their DNA. When faced with a diagnosis of advanced breast cancer, knowing that the woman has a BRCA1 or 2 mutation can be crucial in identifying the most suitable treatment.

Dante Labs to support research against Breast Cancer

Dante Labs is extremely proud to support the research to discover more about causes and best treatments against breast cancer.Our customer care service will be available to answer your questions and will help you understand the importance of genetic tests.

Being involved in raising awareness is extremely important because we can all make a difference!

Knowledge is essential. Discover more about you. Click to learn more about Dante Labs DNA Tests and our Hereditary Cancer report.]]>
https://us.dantelabs.com/blogs/blog/genetics-and-schizophrenia2020-04-19T21:38:00-12:002020-04-19T22:57:05-12:00Genetics and SchizophreniaFrancesca TarquinioGenetics and Schizophrenia

It has never been clear how genetics influences schizophrenia, but nowadays researchers have taken a different approach and used whole-genome sequencing to show how rare variants that change genetic structure may play a role.

In fact, small sequence variations in the genome may be contributing to the disorder, along with environmental factors.

It has never been clear how genetics influences schizophrenia, but nowadays researchers have taken a different approach and used Whole Genome Sequencing to show how rare variants that change genetic structure may play a role.

In fact, small sequence variations in the genome may be contributing to the disorder, along with environmental factors.

"Our results suggest that ultra-rare structural variants that affect the boundaries of a specific genome structure increase risk for schizophrenia," said Szatkiewicz, an adjunct assistant professor of psychiatry at UNC. "Alterations in these boundaries may lead to dysregulation of gene expression, and we think future mechanistic studies could determine the precise functional effects these variants have on biology."Instead of assessing at single nucleotide polymorphisms - changes in individual base pairs or structural changes, Szatkiewicz and colleagues performed whole-genome sequencing on 1,165 schizophrenia patients and 1,000 unaffected individuals. This largest-ever schizophrenia WGS study revealed that a feature of the genome's three-dimensional architecture called topologically associated domains (TADs) are involved in schizophrenia development.TADs are parts of the genome that can interact with itself, and there are boundaries that prevent TADs from interacting with neighboring genomic regions. If the TAD boundaries are disrupted, abnormal interactions between genes or gene regulators may occur, resulting in the aberrant expression of genes. This erroneous gene expression or regulation may have a variety of negative impacts that could result in disease.Topologically associated domains (TADs) are distinct regions of the genome with strict boundaries that keep the domains from interacting with genetic material in neighboring TADs. / Credit: Jin Szatkiewicz, PhD, UNC School of MedicineResearchers of this work found that people with schizophrenia have significantly more structural variants that affect TAD boundaries in the brain compared to people without schizophrenia. These so-called structural variants may involve gene sequences that are missing or duplicated, or that are not normally found in the genome. The researchers suggested that disrupted TAD boundaries are involved in schizophrenia.These findings open the possibility that future studies on schizophrenia biology should consider TAD structural variants."A possible future investigation would be to work with patient-derived cells with these TADs-affecting mutations and figure out what exactly happened at the molecular level," said Szatkiewicz, "In the future, we could use this information about the TAD effects to help develop drugs or precision medicine treatments that could repair disrupted TADs or affected gene expressions which may improve patient outcomes.”]]>
https://us.dantelabs.com/blogs/blog/world-hemophilia-day2020-04-17T11:00:00-12:002020-04-17T11:00:00-12:00Discover more about the World Hemophilia DayFrancesca TarquinioApril 17, 2020 is World Hemophilia Day and communities stay together to support their mission. Let's get to know more about it.

April 17, 2020 is World Hemophilia Day and communities stay together to support their mission. Let's get to know more about it.

What is Hemophilia?

Hemophilia is a hereditary genetic disease, which impairs the normal clotting process. As a result, the affected patient is subject to prolonged bleeding, even after trivial traumas or skin cuts.

In most cases, the origin of hemophilia is a genetic mutation of the sexual chromosome X, transmitted from parents to their children. Like Duchenne muscular dystrophy or colour blindness, therefore, hemophilia also belongs to the group of so-called hereditary sex chromosome-related diseases.

The causes of Hemophilia

The cause of hemophilia is a genetic mutation of the sexual chromosome X, which determines the deficiency of one of the coagulation factors.

The coagulation factors. Patogenesis

The coagulation factors are biomolecules (proteins, enzymes and cofactors), produced in part by the liver and circulating in the blood and ther are only functional for their purpose if they are all present.

The reason is simple. They are activated in a chain ("cascade mechanism"), one after the other. In other words, each factor acts as a trigger for what follows it. Therefore, if one factor is missing or deficient, the following ones, which depend on it, will not be triggered or will be activated slowly. All this results in a coagulative defect.

Genetics

Why does hemophilia mostly affect the male sex?

The X chromosome mutation, which determines hemophilia, is recessive. This means that the woman, with two X chromosomes, manifests the disease only if both of her sex chromosomes are mutated (a very remote possibility); in fact, when only one X chromosome is mutated, the other healthy one compensates for the deficiencies of the first one and produces the missing coagulation factor itself.

Vice versa, in man, the X chromosome is only one (the other is the Y chromosome) and one of its mutations is fatal and without alternatives. Consequently, the coagulation process lacks, in an irremediable way, a fundamental component.

Hemophilia and Heredity

How does the X chromosome transmission between parents and children occur?

If the mother is a healthy carrier

The union between a woman with only one changed X chromosome (therefore called a healthy carrier) and a healthy man can have the following consequences:

Male children have the same probability (50%) of being born healthy or ill. The Y chromosome inevitably comes from the father; consequently, the X chromosome comes from the mother. If it is the changed one, the child will be born with the disease.

Female daughters have the same probability (50%) of being born healthy or completely healthy. They inherit the healthy X chromosome from their father. The other X chromosome, inherited from the mother, may be sick or healthy.

If both parents have a changed X chromosome

Since hemophilia is a disease compatible with life, a sick man can have children. His union with a healthy carrier woman can give birth to:

Male children with the same probability (50%) of being born healthy or sick. It is like the case, where there was only the healthy carrier mother of the disease. It is the maternal X chromosome that determines the state of health of the male child, because they inherit only the Y chromosome from the father.

Female daughters with the same probability (50%) of being born healthy or sick carriers. They definitely inherit a changed X chromosome from their father. The other chromosome, the maternal chromosome, can be either healthy or mutated.

If only the father is sick

In this case, his union with a healthy woman has two consequences:

The male children are all born healthy because the maternal component is missing.

Female daughters are all born healthy because they all receive the changed X chromosome from their father.

Types of Hemophilia

There are three types of hemophilia, based on the coagulation factor involved:

Hemophilia A, where the deficient coagulation factor is factor VIII.

Hemophilia B, where the deficient coagulation factor is factor IX.

Hemophilia C, where the deficient coagulation factor is factor XI. This type is an autosomal genetic disease, since the genetic abnormality resides on autosomal chromosome 4.

About genetics and Hemophilia

Hemophilia can be both mild and severe but in most cases it has a genetic origin.It can manifest itself in childhood but also during the rest of life. It is caused by a mutation on the X chromosome in the gene that provides instructions for making the factor that synthesizes the proteins needed to form blood clots. This mutation can lead to the loss of the function of the proteins or to a lack of the proteins themselves. For the fact that the gene is located on x chromosome only males are ill, females are healthy carriers for the mutation. Females can also have some symptoms and they pass the mutations to the prole.

Acquired Hemophilia is another form of disorder that is not caused by genetic mutations but by abnormal bleeding into various tissues. It is caused by an autoantibodies response in which is attacked by coagulation factor VIII. This kind of response is associated with cancer or immune system disorders, but sometimes the cause is unknown. Hemophilia occurs in about 1 of every 5,000 male births.

Hemophilia A is caused by a mutation in gene F8, that gene is responsible for making the protein coagulation factor VIII. Instead the gene F9 produced the coagulation factor IX and a mutation in this gene can cause hemophilia B.

Advantages of getting the Whole Genome Sequencing for Hemophilia

There are specific blood tests for hemophilia that evaluate the blood clotting ability or that investigate the specific clotting factors such as factor VIII and factor IX. Those tests are based on the observance of clotting time and are useful only when the patients are experiencing health problems.

But it is important to do a genetic test because of various reasons:

Because of it is possible that in a patient hemophilia occurs not only at childhood, is important to prevent this pathology with a DNA test;

It is also important to know if a woman is a carrier for the pathology, to evaluate the possibility of passing the mutant gene to the prole;

It is important to patients with hemophilia to know which gene is mutated because mutation in gene F8 causes hemophilia A and mutation in gene F9 causes hemophilia B.

For prevention the DNA test is the best way to know if you have a pathology of you are a carrier for a mutated gene.

About World Hemophilia Day

World Hemophilia Day is held annually on April 17 by the World Federation of Hemophilia (WFH). It is an awareness day for hemophilia and other bleeding disorders, it was started in 1989 and April 17 was chosen in honor of Frank Schnabel's birthday, founder of the WFH.

Every year the theme of World Hemophilia Day changes and now, in 2020, it is “Get+involved”. It’s a call to action for everyone to help drive the WFH vision of “Treatment for all” at the community and global level. All the communities want to encourage you to help increase the awareness of inherited bleeding disorders and the need to make access to adequate care possible everywhere in the world.

This landmark day also helps to illustrate the importance the WFH has developed to support the bleeding disorders community, from integrated care development training programs to ensure the local infrastructure and medical expertise are available to optimize and appropriately use donated products, to programs developed to greatly increase the diagnosis and treatment of people with bleeding disorders by closing the gap in treatment between developed and developing countries.

Dante Labs for World Hemophilia Day

Dante Labs decided to be involved in raising awareness of Hemophilia, together with the whole community.

Our customer care service will be available to answer your questions and will help you understand the importance of genetic tests.

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https://us.dantelabs.com/blogs/blog/discover-the-three-differences-between-dna-and-rna2020-04-14T11:00:00-12:002020-04-17T03:54:07-12:00Discover the three differences between DNA and RNAFrancesca TarquinioDNA vs RNA: comparison and differencesIn all living organisms, the material containing the information that is transmitted from one generation to another consists of nucleic acids called deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA) and ribonucleic acid (RNA). But what exactly are they?

DNA vs RNA: comparison and differencesIn all living organisms, the material containing the information that is transmitted from one generation to another consists of nucleic acids called deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA) and ribonucleic acid (RNA). But what exactly are they?

DNA and RNA: What are DNA and RNA?

Life on earth, however varied, is formed at the molecular level by the same constituent elements: DNA and RNA. DNA (deoxyribonucleic acid) and RNA (ribonucleic acid) are nucleic acids formed by subunits known as nucleotides, each of which is composed of: a phosphate group, a pentose sugar (ribose or deoxyribonucleic acid) and a nitrogen base, united by covalent bonds.

The nitrogenous bases come in two different chemical forms: the purines adenine and guanine and the pyrimidines cytosine, thymine and uracil.

DNA and RNA: Differences

First of all, the nucleotides of DNA and RNA are different: in DNA, in fact, pentose sugar is deoxyribose, while in RNA it is ribose, which has one more oxygen atom. Moreover, in DNA the nitrogen bases are adenine, cytosine, guanine and thymine while in RNA instead of thymine there is the uracil base.

DNA consists of two filaments running in opposite directions (antiparallel), thus forming a double helix structure in which the two polynucleotide chains are held together by hydrogen bonds between the respective nitrogen bases. The ANN instead is composed of a single filament.

The DNA is the repository of the genetic information, while the RNA participates in the synthesis of proteins and in the transmission of the information contained in the DNA.

The role of DNA and its types

DNA is the repository of the instructions necessary for the growth, development and reproduction of each individual, inherited from parents to their descendants. It is contained in the nuclei of our individual cells, organized in chromosomes: each cell contains 23 pairs of chromosomes.

There are different types of DNA:

A-DNAIt is found at a humidity of 75%. In an environment where there is a higher salt concentration or ionic concentrations, such as K+, Na+, Cs+ or in a state of dehydration it endures in a form that contains 11 nucleotide pairs with a rise of 2.56A0 vertically per base pair. It has the broadest helical diameter amongst all DNA forms – 23A0 DNA which is a typical helix that is right-handed with a rotation of 32.70 per base pair.

B-DNAIt is found at a humidity of 9.25 and a low salt concentration or ionic strength. It has 10 base pairs per turn from the helix axis. There is a distance of 3.4A0 with a helical diameter of 20A0. The Watson-Crick’s double helix model is defined as a B-form of DNA.

C-DNAIt is observed at a humidity of 66% and in the occupancy of a few ions such as Lithium(Li+). It closely has 9.33 base pairs for every turn. The diameter of the helix is about 19A0and the vertical rises for every base pair for the right-handed helix is 3.320.

D-DNAIt is observed rarely as an extreme variant. The 8 base pairs are titled negatively from the helix axis with an axial rise if about 3.03A0

Z-DNAIt is found in an environment with a very high salt concentration. Unlike the A, B, and C type of DNA, it is a left-handed helical structure. The backbone is arranged in a zig-zag pattern formed by the sugar-phosphate linkage wherein the recurrent monomer is the dinucleotide in contrast to the mononucleotide which is observed in alternate forms.

The role of RNA and its types

RNA is a ribonucleic acid that helps in the synthesis of proteins in our body. It is usually obtained from the DNA molecule. Esistono in particolare diversi tipi di RNA:

tRNA – Transfer RNAThe transfer RNA is held responsible for choosing the correct protein or the amino acids required by the body in-turn helping the ribosomes. It is located at the endpoints of each amino acid. This is also called as soluble RNA and it forms a link between the messenger RNA and the amino acid.

rRNA-Ribosomal RNAThe rRNA is the component of the ribosome and is located within the cytoplasm of a cell, where ribosomes are found. The Ribosomal RNA is primarily involved in the synthesis and translation of mRNA into proteins in all living organisms.

mRNA – Messenger RNAAs the name itself tells, this RNA is responsible for carrying the genetic material to the ribosomes and insists as to what kind of proteins is required by the body. Hence it is called messenger RNA. Usually, this m-RNA is involved in the process of transcription or during the protein synthesis process.

The importance of proteins

Proteins play a critical role in how cells successfully meet the challenges of living. Cells use proteins to maintain their shape and to speed up important chemical reactions such as photosynthesis and respiration.

A cell will not live long if it cannot reliably create the proteins that it needs for survival.

Do you want to know more about Dante Labs Genetic Test? Click here and choose the best one for you ]]>
https://us.dantelabs.com/blogs/blog/5-benefits-of-dna-testing2020-04-09T11:00:00-12:002020-04-16T00:18:49-12:005 benefits of DNA testingFrancesca TarquinioHow DNA test can help you improving health and fitness

Your genetic code contains all the information you need to improve your health, nutrition and fitness. Your DNA is talking to you: listen to it.

How DNA test can help you improving health and fitness

Your genetic code contains all the information you need to improve your health, nutrition and fitness. Your DNA is talking to you: listen to it.

Genetics and lifestyle

Modern medicine is increasingly oriented towards personalised care and prevention. Diseases are not the same for everyone and medicines do not act on all people in the same way. Genetics allows us to know some characteristics of the individual and to implement a preventive and personalized intervention on the basis of these characteristics.

But what are the benefits of genetic testing?

Nutrition

Among the different branches of genetics, nutrigenetics studies the correlation between the genetic heritage of the individual and his response to different nutrients.Scientific data show that a food can have different effects depending on the individual. The metabolism of different substances varies from person to person and depends on our DNA. Genetic characteristics regulate the functioning of our organism and how it interacts with the surrounding environment, influencing our state of health.

This is why DNA analysis, which reveals the genetic characteristics of individuals, is an important ally in choosing the most suitable diet and lifestyle for your body.

Health

The predisposition to develop certain diseases can be linked to one's own genetic make-up. Based on their DNA, in fact, individuals are able to understand what genetic mutations exist within it and can inform themselves before any disease can, if anything, manifest itself.

DNA analysis therefore allows them to receive actionable information in order to build a prevention plan that is as suitable as possible to their genetic needs.

REACTION TO DRUGS

The variability in response to pharmacological treatment between patient and patient has always been one of the most relevant problems in clinical practice. Individual responses to medication, in fact, vary greatly: in fact, it is possible to observe reduced or even absent therapeutic effects, adverse reactions or side effects in some patients compared to others, despite the fact that the same medication has been administered to the same dosage.This inter-individual variability was, in the past, mainly attributed to the influence of non-genetic factors but it is currently believed that, in addition to those factors, hereditary drugs also play an important role in the individual response to medication.

Finding out how one's body reacts to medication can be essential and sometimes decisive. Dosages and types of medication can be different for individuals, based on their own DNA.

Fitness

With the same exposure to an incorrect diet or to a specific type of physical activity (aerobic, anaerobic, power-driven, etc.), different clinical pictures are determined between different people with regard to the expected physical improvements, the need to vary/reduce increase a given physical activity path and therefore, for example, also to prevent exposure to muscle or tendon damage.The analysis of the genome allows you to identify the most suitable type of exercises to optimize your training and focus on your effort, also allowing you to avoid injuries based on your muscle and tendon propensities.

Asset for life

As of today, only a small portion of the genome has been studied. We know little to nothing about large parts of the genome. Yet, every month, more genomes are sequenced, new studies are published, and more findings become available. In time, people will be able to discover more about their DNA. The earlier in someone’s life that it’s analyzed, the earlier they have access to useful information about their genetic makeup. This is information that can translate into actionable insights on how someone could change their lifestyle to feel better, prevent diseases, avoid adverse reactions to food or drugs, and tailor their physical activity for optimal health. As more genetic variants are identified, they can receive updates about their genome for the rest of their lives.

Dig deeper into your DNA and discover the benefits of knowledge. Find more about Dante Labs Genetic Test]]>
https://us.dantelabs.com/blogs/blog/world-health-day2020-04-07T11:00:00-12:002020-04-16T00:19:53-12:00Genetic Diseases and World Health DayFrancesca TarquinioNurses and midwives are celebrated on April 7th to remind the world of the critical role they play in keeping the world healthy. Among them, genetic nurses care for individuals that are suffering from or may be at risk of developing a genetic disorder or disease.

Nurses and midwives are celebrated on April 7th to remind the world of the critical role they play in keeping the world healthy. Among them, genetic nurses care for individuals that are suffering from or may be at risk of developing a genetic disorder or disease.

What does World Health Day celebrate?

Every year on 7 April, the world celebrates the Health Day to raise awareness regarding the huge contribution that nurses and midwives give to healthcare.

Back in 1948, during the First World Health Assembly, the World Health Organization decided to establish 7 April as the international day of health in order for every organization to support the extreme importance of global health. Various governments and nongovernmental organizations with interests in public health support this project and organize activities and media campaigns to highlight their interest.

The importance of genetics nurses

Studies have shown that many of today’s diseases may be inherited via genetics and are often referred to as genetic diseases or hereditary diseases.

When it comes to helping people in need, nurses are at the forefront. A genetics nurse is a nursing professional that specializes in the field of genetics and who cares for individuals that are suffering from or may be at risk of developing a genetic disorder or disease. Not only concrete and physical help, some genetics nurses might also specialize in research that involves study of old and new possible risk factors of developing a particular genetic disease.

What does a genetics nurse do?

Genetics nurses work with individuals that are at risk of developing or already suffering from genetic disorders and diseases. They perform genetics screenings and treat symptoms to help individuals and their loved ones deal with these diseases.

Extremely important is their role in prenatal genetics. Fetal screenings for genetic disorders and birth defects are a main task, in order to advise parents on how to educate them on their disorders and inform them of the different treatment options available as well as how to live with their disorders.

Dante Labs for World Health Day

Dante Labs decided to be involved in raising awareness of World Health Day to thank every single nurse for their work and their importance for healthcare.

Our customer care service will be available to answer your questions and will help you understand the importance of genetic tests.

Being involved in raising awareness is extremely important because we can all make a difference!

The importance of DNA lies with the amount of information that it contains. DNA is essentially a “package insert” with the instructions necessary for living life at its best.

How does DNA work?

The importance of DNA lies with the amount of information that it contains. DNA is essentially a “package insert” with the instructions necessary for living life at its best.

Do you know what DNA is?

As most people know from their academic studies, DNA stands for deoxyribonucleic acid and it is made up of units of biological building blocks called nucleotides.

Not only for humans, but for every organism, DNA is a vitally important molecule that contains everybody’s genetic make-up.

What is DNA made of?

The DNA molecule is made up of nucleotides. Each nucleotide contains three different components — a sugar, a phosphate group, and a nitrogen base.Specifically, sugar in DNA is called 2’-deoxyribose and those molecules alternate with the phosphate groups, to make up the “backbone” of the DNA strand. Also, each sugar in a nucleotide has a nitrogen base attached to it and four are the different types of nitrogen bases found in DNA:

adenine (A)

cytosine (C)

guanine (G)

thymine (T)

DNA’s look

The famous 3-D structure is called a double helix. Looking at the picture above, its form looks a little like a ladder that’s been twisted into a spiral in which the base pairs are the rungs and the sugar phosphate backbones are the legs.

Also, the DNA in the nucleus of eukaryotic cells is linear, meaning that the ends of each strand are free; in a prokaryotic cell, the DNA forms a circular structure.

Types of cells

There are two types of cell — eukaryotic and prokaryotic.

Eukaryotic cells

Humans and many other organisms have eukaryotic cells, which means that their cells have a membrane-bound nucleus and several other membrane-bound structures called organelles.

DNA is within the nucleus but a small amount is also found in organelles called mitochondria, which are the powerhouses of the cell.

There is a limited amount of space within the nucleus and this implies that the DNA must be tightly packaged and the final products are the structures that we call chromosomes.

Prokaryotic cells

Organisms like bacteria are prokaryotic cells and these cells don’t have a nucleus or organelles. In prokaryotic cells, DNA is found tightly coiled in the middle of the cell.

When the cells divide: the replication

The cells of your body divide as a normal part of growth and development and this results in the necessity that each new cell has a complete copy of DNA.

In order to achieve this, DNA must undergo a process called replication, characterised by the two DNA strands to split apart. Consequently, specialized cellular proteins use each strand as a template to make a new DNA strand and when replication is completed, there will be two double-stranded DNA molecules. One set will go into each new cell when division is complete.

How health, disease, and aging work through your DNA

Together with DNA, there is the concept of genome. Genome is the complete set of the DNA with 3 billion bases, 20,000 genes, and 23 pairs of chromosomes.

Every person inherits half of your DNA from her/his father and half from her/his mother.

The importance of DNA for the growing

DNA contains the instructions that are necessary for every organism to grow, develop, and reproduce and, as we said before, these instructions are stored within the sequence of nucleotide base pairs.

The cells read this code three bases at a time in order to generate proteins that are essential for growth and survival. The DNA sequence that houses the information to make a protein is called a gene.

Each group of three bases corresponds to specific amino acids, which are the building blocks of proteins. Some combinations, like T-A-A, T-A-G, and T-G-A, also indicate the end of a protein sequence. This information tells the cell not to add any more amino acids to the protein.

Proteins are made up of different combinations of amino acids and when placed together in the correct order, each protein has a unique structure and function within the body.

How do you get from the DNA code to a protein?

But what happens during the process from the DNA code to the protein? This occurs via a two-step process:

Transcription process: the two DNA strands split apart and special proteins within the nucleus read the base pairs on a DNA strand to create an intermediate messenger molecule. The molecule created is called messenger RNA (mRNA) and it is another type of nucleic acid. It travels outside of the nucleus, serving as a message to the cellular machinery that builds proteins.

Translation process: specialized components of the cell read the mRNA’s message three base pairs at a time and work to assemble a protein, amino acid by amino acid.

Mutations in the DNA

Estimates state that tens of thousands of DNA damage events occur every day in each of our cells This is in fact an important concept about DNA code: it can be damaged due to things like errors in DNA replication, free radicals, and exposure to UV radiation. Nevertheless, the cells have specialized proteins that are able to detect those damages and can repair them, following several pathways.

DNA and aging

Thing is that unrepaired DNA damage can accumulate as we age, helping to drive the aging process and there are several factors involved.

Free radicalsDamage due to free radicals may play a large role in the DNA damage associated with aging, even though this mechanism may not be sufficient to explain the aging process. Several factors may also be involved.

One theory states that DNA damage is repaired more faithfully when we’re of reproductive age and having children and when we’ve passed our peak reproductive years, the repair process naturally declines.

Telomeres Telomeres are stretches of repetitive DNA sequences that are found at the ends of your chromosomes that help to protect DNA from damage, but they also shorten with each round of DNA replication.

Their shortening has been associated with the aging process, but also with some lifestyle factors such as obesity, cigarette smoke, and psychological stress. Therefore, eating well, sleeping well and exercising may help keep people young.

Are you interested in your DNA? Click here to learn more about Dante Labs Genetic Test.]]>
https://us.dantelabs.com/blogs/blog/autism-awareness-day2020-04-02T11:00:00-12:002020-04-16T00:19:06-12:00Autism Awareness Day: let's enter their world!Francesca TarquinioCommunities around the world come together on April 2 to celebrate Autism Awareness Day, to support people with autism and those who love and live them everyday.

Communities around the world come together on April 2 to celebrate Autism Awareness Day, to support people with autism and those who love and live them everyday.

What is Autism?

Autism is a neurodevelopmental disorder that refers to a range of conditions that compromises the ability to interact and social skills. It induces repetitive behaviours and limits the speech and nonverbal communication in those affected. Autism is a condition of permanent nature and has serious consequences for those affected from an early age.

Doctors and researchers have yet to identify the precise causes of autism, but according to some theories, the appearance of the neurodevelopmental disorder is linked to genetics (relatives with similar problems, that some people with autism are carriers, the existence of genes involved in brain development, genetic alterations) or particular environmental factors premature birth, intake of alcohol or certain medicines during pregnancy, exposure to highly polluted air, maternal infections, advanced age of the parents).

The first symptoms of Autism start around 2-3 years of life but it becomes apparent, unequivocally, when the patient comes into contact with a large number of other people on a daily basis, showing problems with interaction and socialization.

Characteristics of World Autism Day

On December 18, 2007, the UN General Assembly designated April 2 as World Autism Awareness Day and decided to use blue as the representative color for the day. The explanation lies in the power to awaken the sense of "security" and the need for "knowledge", which are the places where the world of autism converges. Security" means the possibility, in the present, to live a free and at the same time protected existence, both for autistics and their families, but also the security of the future. On the other hand, "knowledge" means the information of citizens so that they know how to deal with an autistic person, and the scientific research on the causes of this disorder, still largely unknown.

This is the reason behind the famous campaign Light It up the Blue, which aims to illuminate with the color blue all the main monuments of the world.

About genetics and Autism Disease

Autism has many etiologies, as it has been documented in hundreds of neurologically based syndromes with multiple causes, outcomes, and treatment responses. The number of children diagnosed with Autism has been increasing rapidly in the past few decades.Changes in over 1,000 genes have been reported to be associated with Autism, but a large number of these associations have not been confirmed. Autism is present throughout the person’s lifetime, and you may not know what caused it. Sometimes, autism runs in families. Some possible causes include:

genetic differences;

differences in brain development or in brain function; and

exposure to harmful materials or chemicals in the environment

The genes associated with the risk of Autism disorder are many.

Effect of the genes on Autism can be variable. Some genes impact the risk of developing the disease ( this is the majority of the cases of genes and Autism), other genes are thought to be causative of the condition. Those mutations are rare and occur in one single spot in the genome.For example, mutations in the ADNP gene cause a disorder called ADNP syndrome. In addition to ASD and intellectual disability, this condition involves distinctive facial features.Many common gene variations, most of which have not been identified, are thought to affect the risk of developing ASD, but not all people with the gene variation will be affected. Some of the other genes in which rare mutations are associated with ASD, often with other signs and symptoms, are ARID1B, ASH1L, CHD2, CHD8, DYRK1A, POGZ, SHANK3, and SYNGAP1. In most individuals with ASD caused by rare gene mutations, the mutations occur in only a single gene.

Currently a genetic cause can be identified in 20% to 25% of children with autism. Single-gene disorders, in which neurologic findings are associated with autism spectrum disorder (ASD), can be identified in ~5% of ASD patientASD is a common condition, and affects almost five times as many males as females.

Avantages of getting the Whole Genome Sequencing for Autism

Genetic tests for people with autism were far from routine as they used to be limited and too expensive. Whole Genome Sequencing is changing the scenario, as it is comprehensive and gives better chances to yield diagnostics results, change lives. They are not intended to diagnose autism — no known mutation leads to the condition every time - but results can substantially alter the course of treatments or prevention.

Genetic testing provides insight into the bigger picture.It will identify mutations and defects that cause insidious injuries not easily seen by other test techniques. Identifying whether you carry a genetic mutation your genetic mutation can help you determine if you are eligible to enroll in certain clinical trials, the correct one for you.

Individualized treatment People with a specific genetic mutation will produce better responses and more effective therapies.

For your familyIt offers you the chance to enlighten your family members of the potential predisposition: through precise genetic testing results; you can get a glimpse of the probability of a family member getting a given gene-linked disorder.

For the entire communityIt helps you to find the right way forward. Beyond benefits for the individual, sequencing exomes may be the only way scientists can uncover the full list of mutations related to autism. Understanding the connection between Autism and genetics can help us understand how the disease develops and ultimately how it can be treated or cured.

Dante Labs for Autism Awareness Day

Dante Labs decided to be involved in raising awareness of Autism.In order to prevent it, we have just launched our brand new Autism report. Also, our customer care service will be available to answer your questions and will help you understand the importance of genetic tests.

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https://us.dantelabs.com/blogs/blog/parkinsons-awareness-month2020-04-01T11:00:00-12:002020-04-16T00:19:26-12:00Parkinson's Awareness MonthFrancesca TarquinioDante Labs is proud to support Parkinson’s Awareness Month. Being the second most common age-related neurodegenerative disorder after Alzheimer, Parkinson is estimated to hit seven to ten million people worldwide.But what is Parkinson and why has been April nominated as Parkinson’s Month? Here what you need to know.

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April is Parkinson's Awareness Month: what you should know about it

Dante Labs is proud to support Parkinson’s Awareness Month. Being the second most common age-related neurodegenerative disorder after Alzheimer, Parkinson is estimated to hit seven to ten million people worldwide.But what is Parkinson and why has been April nominated as Parkinson’s Month? Here what you need to know.

What is Parkinson?

Parkinson’s disease is a neurodegenerative disorder of the central nervous system, with unknown cause, that affects the motor system. It starts slowly with shaking, rigidity and difficulty walking and lately behavioral problems and dementia occur.Due to the unknown cause, there is no cure, but treatment options can include medication and surgery because its complications can be serious and fatal.

Why is April the Month of Parkinson's Disease?

April has been signed as Parkinson’s Awareness Month in order to honor people suffering this disease and their families and dedicated to advocating them.You might not know but Parkinson has been named after Dr. James Parkinson, an English surgeon best known for this Essay on the Shaking Palsy, in which he describes a neurological condition that was later renamed as Parkinson. And beside his name, Dr. James birthday marked April 11th as World Parkinson’s Day, thereby April as Parkinson’s Awareness Month.

Why a tulip as the official symbol of Parkinson?

There is a specific story behind the famous symbol of Parkinson’s disease. In 1980, a Dutch horticulturist affected by Parkinson, gave birth to an amazing new species of tulip and named it after Dr. James Parkinson. Since then, the red tulip has been used to symbolize Parkinson’s disease.

The first steps to living well with Parkinson

Having a great quality of life is not excluded. Important is to follow therapies and treatments with dopaminergic medications due to the low levels of dopamine that Parkinson’s patients have.Nowadays scientists have identified therapies used to improve the disease’s symptoms, but they do not slow or arrest its progression.

About genetics and Parkinson's Disease

Most cases of Parkinson disease probably result from a complex interaction of environmental and genetic factors. These cases are classified as sporadic and occur in people with no apparent history of the disorder in their family. The cause of these sporadic cases remains unclear.

Approximately 15 percent of people with Parkinson disease have a family history of this disorder. Familial cases of Parkinson disease can be caused by mutations in the LRRK2, PARK7, PINK1, PRKN, or SNCA gene, or by alterations in genes that have not been identified. Mutations in some of these genes may also play a role in cases that appear to be sporadic (not inherited).Alterations in certain genes, including GBA and UCHL1, do not cause Parkinson disease but appear to modify the risk of developing the condition in some families. Variations in other genes that have not been identified probably also contribute to Parkinson disease risk.

It is well known that genetic changes influence the risk of developing the disorder. Many Parkinson disease symptoms occur when nerve cells (neurons) in the substantia nigra die or become impaired. Normally, these cells produce a chemical messenger called dopamine, which transmits signals within the brain to produce smooth physical movements. When these dopamine-producing neurons are damaged or die, communication between the brain and muscles weakens. Eventually, the brain becomes unable to control muscle movement.Some gene mutations appear to disturb the cell machinery that breaks down (degrades) unwanted proteins in dopamine-producing neurons. As a result, undegraded proteins accumulate, leading to the impairment or death of these cells. Other mutations may affect the function of mitochondria, the energy-producing structures within cells. As a byproduct of energy production, mitochondria make unstable molecules called free radicals that can damage cells. Cells normally counteract the effects of free radicals before they cause damage, but mutations can disrupt this process. As a result, free radicals may accumulate and impair or kill dopamine-producing neurons.

Advantages of getting the Whole Genome Sequencing for Parkinson

It provides insight into the bigger picture. Genetic testing will identify mutations and defects that cause insidious injuries not easily seen by other test techniques. Identifying whether you carry a genetic mutation your genetic mutation can help you determine if you are eligible to enroll in certain clinical trials, the correct one for you. Several ongoing clinical trials are already testing treatments for people who carry certain PD gene mutations in LRRK2 and GBA.

Individualized treatmentFor individualized treatments. People with a specific genetic mutation will produce better responses and more effective therapies.

For your familyIt offers you the chance to enlighten your family members of the potential predisposition: through precise genetic testing results; you can get a glimpse of the probability of a family member getting a given gene-linked disorder.

For the entire communityUnderstanding the connection between Parkinson's and genetics can help us understand how the disease develops and ultimately how it can be treated or cured.

Currently, genetic testing is available through your doctor for the genes: GBA, PARK7, SNCA, LRRK2, parkin and PINK1, while standard at-home tests only look for one of several changes in LRRK2 (G2019S) and GBA (N370S) and do not map the entire gene to look for other mutations. Dante Labs Whole Genome Sequencing Test allows to map the entire genome

Parkinson disease is thought to result from the effects of multiple genes as well as environmental risk factors. A combination of multiple factors is a key. Whole Genome Sequencing allows for quantitative polygenic risk score assessment.

As Science advances, data can shed new lights on new parts of the genome.

Dante Labs for Parkinson's Awareness Month

Dante Labs decided to be involved in raising awareness of Parkinson’s disease.In order to prevent it, our Parkinson-Alzheimer-Dementia report has been created for this scope.Our customer care service will be available to answer your questions and will help you understand the importance of genetic tests.Being involved in raising awareness is extremely important because we can all make a difference!